My collection of material pleasures including but not limited to rug hooking -- rugs I love, rugs I'm making, ideas for new rugs -- and other hobbies and passions. I have 7 chickens I adore and love to ride my bike. I am a voracious reader and I enjoy cooking--occasionally!
-- Sharlene Washington

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Monday, January 17, 2011

It’s great to get out!

We had a foggy start this morning, but when the sun came out and it got a little warmer, Brittany and I decided to go for a bike ride. We had wanted to do a longer ride, but ended up choosing to ride on Los Gatos Creek Trail.

I have set some goals for my riding for the year. It is helping me get in shape physically and it is so mentally relaxing as well. I set short-term goals as well as longer goals.

Short: Every 30 days I set a new goal to hit 300 miles in 30 days. I don't always make it, but it helps me get to a longer goal of 1000 miles in 100 days.

Longer: I am into my 2nd 1000 mile challenge. I just missed making it last time because I ended up having bronchitis the last three weeks of the challenge. I figured make the goal again during the heavy rainy season would be a challenge, but I opted in again.

Even Longer!: I got this idea from someone else's blog, shebicycles.com--I am going to try to ride my bike 330 days out of 365 this year. Anything counts because it all adds up. Sometimes the most difficult part of going for a ride is making the decision to do it.

Biking provides time to think...sometimes I listen to an audio book that I have uploaded to my cell phone...and sometimes I just like to listen to the sounds around me. Nothing like going fast to make me feel like a teenager again. What I need now is my teenage body back! I’m on my way though. Since I made the commitment to ride I have lost 11 pounds!